Privileged places in the city: urban quality, livability, sustainability

Abstract

Public spaces are privileged places in the city. Unfortunately, conurbation phenomena have taken over, leaving local places and identities to disintegrate, marking a clear break between community and settlement, obstructing the common good and the use of public spaces. To improve well-being and quality of life, public spaces must be attractive and safe, which is why they must be designed according to principles that meet the needs and expectations of all citizens, with particular attention to the weakest, as indicated in the Public Space Charter in 2013, in line with the European Landscape Convention and the United Nations Program for Human Settlements (UN-Habitat). Seniors and children must be able to use public space unconditionally, allowing them to create or maintain a solid network of social contacts. Public space design always requires a complete vision of the urban, architectural and social aspects. This study investigates the quality of public spaces in some urban realities - national and international - which have become examples of sustainable urban regeneration, places of sociality and hospitality